The Basics Online Series Part 2 – Why Does Your Fishing Line Break?

Part 1: The Tackle Box Part 2: Why Does Your Fishing Line Break? It has happened to all anglers at some point: you are fighting a fish, usually a big one, and all of a sudden the fight ends and your line goes slack! You reel in, but there’s nothing but the end of a broken piece of line. A few minutes later you are left wondering what happened! Why did the line break? The truth is that most fishing line in a good condition is very strong. According to tests done by the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) most monofilament fishing lines break between 50% to 100% of their rated strength. This is how we are able to pull in a broken branch or a fish in access of 5kg on thin 5lb (2.27kg) line. What exactly is fishing line and how is it made? The most common form of fishing line is Monofilament. This is a single continuous strand of fiber/plastic. Monofilament is made by melting and mixing different polymers (Greek poly-, "many" + -mer, "part") and then extruding the mixture through tiny holes, forming strands of line, which is then spun into spools of various quantities. We all know that your fishing line is the most critical link between you and the fish, and if your line breaks while you are fighting a fish these could be the reasons why: 1. A poorly tied knot. Knots are the weakest point in your line. A poorly tied knot can slip when under pressure. You can tell if your knot slipped if the end of your line is twisted. When tying a knot always wet your line and pull it tight slowly to avoid friction. 2. A nicked line. A nick in your line can reduce its strength tremendously. A nick can occur at anytime, like when line rubs against rocks or a log. To find nicks in your line, simply run the line through two pinched fingers. Any roughness that you feel indicates a nick. This part of your Iine should be removed. Abrasion on fishing line and a nick. 3. A kink in your line. A kink in your line can be caused from something as simple as clipping your line on the spool or by keeping the line threaded through the guides and under pressure of the tip eye when storing away tackle. The longer the line is clipped for or stored under pressure, the greater the damage to your line. 4. Bird’s nest. We all get them, even professionals. An overfull spool or incorrect casting technique can cause a bird’s nest. As you pull and pick it at, it often pulls the loops in the line into points, and the tension against them creases the line and makes a weak spot. 5. Missing or a broken eyelet. An eyelet is the little round ceramic ring that is inside your rod guides/eyes. A damaged or broken eyelet allows the line to run on the metal frame and the eyelet rather than through the eyelet. Consistent running of your line against a damaged eyelet creates nicks and abrasions to your line; this weakens the line to the point of breaking off while casting. 6. Incorrect drag setting. Fishing reels are designed to let out line when a fish pulls via a drag system. If your drag is set too tight it will apply too much pressure to the line, which causes the line to break. To test, pull line off the reel through the tip eye of your rod. Then adjust your drag so that it is tight but not tight enough to move your rod off the rod stand when line is pulled. A poorly tied knot that has slipped. 7. Not changing line often. Fishing line doesn’t last forever. Cheaper line usually requires regular replacement. Invest in a good quality line. The weather, heat and light can all have affects on your line. If your line is breaking easily and not casting smoothly you need to spool on new line. 8. Sunlight and Ultra Violet (UV) rays. The sun gives of heat and UV light. Long term UV light and heat from the sun can have devastating effects on fishing line. Store your fishing line and reels in a cool, dark space, like in a reel bag. This will prolong the life of your fishing line. 9. Line stretch. This is perhaps one of the least visible signs of damaged line. Monofilament line stretches. The stretch in your line is similar to that of a rubber band when it springs back into place once the pressure is relieved. There is a point when the line reaches a “Non Recoverable Distortion point”. To explain: it is like pulling on a piece of chewed up bubblegum that will stretch to a point and not recover the original shape. Line distortion alters the diameter of the line but on a scale so small, that it is not visible to the eye. The use of a leader line greatly improves distortion as very often the knot between the leader and main line is the first to give in. As an option, cut about 2meters off your main line after a break off. Hopefully this will remove any of the over stretched portion. 10. A hooked fish. Fish are very clever animals. When fighting fish you can almost guarantee that they will head for cover/structure to get away. Your line sometimes wraps around trees and structure causing nicks, kinks, line stretch and knot slips. Always try to get fish out and away from cover as quickly as possible to avoid your line from getting damaged or breaking. To summarise, here are a few things you can do to prevent break offs: First, use a good quality leader line. Second, use a good quality main line. Third, if you find damage caused by abrasion, cut and remove that section. Fourth, tie good knots. Lastly, replace your line often.